Section Two: From Republic To Empire

Objectives 1. Characterize the internal instability of the Roman Empire 2. Summarize the event in which Octavian, titled Caesar Augustus, was named emperor.

I. Growing Inequality & Unrest Landed aristocracy governed Rome Wealthy, powerful families Senate & political offices

Growing Inequality & Unrest Small farmers losing land to large, wealthy landowners New urban class of landless poor Economic & social unrest

Growing Inequality & Unrest Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus, reform-minded aristocrats Called for laws giving public land back to the landless poor Both brothers eventually killed Discontent & unrest grew

II. A New Role for the Army Traditionally small landowning farmers made up the army Marius recruited soldiers by promising land for allegiance to him Generals began gaining political & individual power

A New Role for the Army Sulla & Marius fight to gain control Sulla seized power in 82 B.C. Restored power to the Senate & took away most of the powers of the assemblies

III. The Collapse of the Republic Civil Wars 82 - 31 B.C. Crassus, Pompey & Julius Caesar emerged as victors combined wealth & power to dominate the political scene

A. The First Triumvirate 60 B. C. first triumvirate – a government by three people with equal power Crassus, Pompey & Caesar Crassus killed in 53 B.C.

The First Triumvirate Caesar crossed the Rubicon, the river Caesar and Pompey start a civil war against each other to gain power

The First Triumvirate Caesar defeats Pompey’s forces Caesar become a dictator – an absolute ruler gave land to poor & increased the Senate to 900 members

Julius Caesar

44 B.C. a group of leading senators assassinated him The First Triumvirate 44 B.C. a group of leading senators assassinated him

B. The Second Triumvirate Octavian, Antony & Lepidus Octavian took the west & Antony, the east soon came into conflict

The Second Triumvirate Antony allied himself with the Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII Like Caesar before him, Antony had fallen in love with her

Mark Anthony

Cleopatra VII http://sangha.net/messengers/cleopatra_vii.jpg

The Second Triumvirate At the Battle of Actium, Octavian’s forces smashed the army & the navy of Antony & Cleopatra Both committed suicide a year later

27 B.C. Octavian became “Augustus” the revered one IV. The Age of Augustus 27 B.C. Octavian became “Augustus” the revered one Imperator – or commander in chief, gave us the word emperor

Octavian

The Age of Augustus Maintained a huge army stabilized the frontiers Failed to conquer Germany Taught Augustus that Rome’s power was not unlimited

V. The Early Empire A.D. 14 a series of new emperors ruled Rome ending in A.D. 180, is called the Early Empire

A. Emperors of the Early Empire Nero, had people killed if he wanted them out of the way - including his mother Roman legions revolted Nero committed suicide by stabbing himself in the throat

Nero

Emperors of the Early Empire Five good emperors: Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius & Marcus Aurelius Pax Romana, “Roman Peace” lasted 100 years

Pax Romana Treated ruling classes with respect ended arbitrary executions maintained peace in the empire supported domestic policies

C. Extent of the Empire Trajan extended into Dacia (modern Romania), Mesopotamia & Sinia Peninsula Hadrian strengthened the fortifications along a line connecting the Rhine & Danube Rivers

C. Extent of the Empire Hadrian built a defensive wall (Hadrian’s Wall) across northern Britain 2nd century Roman was at it’s height 3 1/2 million square mile & 50 million people

http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/britannia/ruins/hadrianswall.jpg

C. Extent of the Empire Cities spread Roman culture, law & the Latin language Freely mixed with Greek culture Greco-Roman Civilization

D. Economic & Social Conditions high levels of trade & commerce farming still the basis of Roman prosperity latifundia, large landed estates raised sheep & cattle

Economic & Social Conditions Upper class lived in villas & vast estates poor worked in shops & markets thousand of unemployed depended on the emperor’s handouts

http://www.camelotintl.com/romans/images/villa.jpg

Roman Villa in England